GCAA replaces instrument destroyed in plane crash

September 18, 2012 (Centre Spread) THE Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has replaced the Instrument Landing System (ILS) which was destroyed by the Allied Air cargo aircraft which crashed at the El-wak stadium on June 2, 2012 at a cost of 1 million Euros. ILS facilities are a precise, highly accurate and dependable means of directing aircrafts to move towards the runway through the determination of aircraft position primarily by reference to instruments. In the interim, a short-range radio navigation system which enabled aircrafts to determine their position and stay on course by receiving radio signals is currently being used. The new ILS, which is currently undergoing trials and calibrations to ensure its accuracy, is expected to be commissioned by the end of the month. The Director-General of the GCAA, Air Commodore K. Mamphey, disclosed the amount involved to the Daily Graphic in a brief interview after the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop on air safety in Accra today. The GCAA is organizing the workshop in collaboration with the Ghana Airport Company Limited with the aim of focusing on practical measures to improve runway safety as well as providing greater awareness on the part of regulators, service providers, airlines and ground handlers as well as other aviation stakeholders. A total of 120 participants drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia among others are expected to deliberate on global and regional safety overview, operators accident analysis overview, state safety programme and runway incident analysis. Other topics to be tackled include landing on wet/contaminated runways and compliance with industry recommendations among many other subjects aimed at improving air safety on the continent. Briefing the participants, Air Commodore Mamphey, said the GCAA was in the process of adopting satellite navigation system as part of measures to further improve its air safety operations in the country. “Teamwork enhances safety, efficiency and promotes a reliable aviation industry. Hence issues of aviation safety must be a concern for all and we must be interested in supporting one another to reach this common goal especially as the jobs in the industry are interconnected,” Air Commodore Mamphey intimated. A speech read on behalf of the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Collins Dauda, urged African governments to create an enabling environment by providing the investment support to ensure that air transportation played its role in realizing the African dream of regional integration. He also gave the assurance that the government would continue to provide the needed support to the aviation industry to guarantee